TO EVERYTHING True Self part 2
by laynee
Summary: Continued from In The Blood part 1 . Sam has met up with Damas and he is learning quickly. He's becoming something that he once resisted, and Dean isn't there to keep Sam grounded. powerful Sam, worried Dean, worried Bobby Continued in Unbalanced part 3
1. Flight

This is part TWO in the 'To Everything' series.

It's my idea of what happens to Sam as he turns demonic and becomes what everyone has been waiting for. Sure to be full of limp/angsty/hurt/evil Sam and worried/hurt/protective/awesome Dean. Bobby's there to as reinforcements as the battle of evil and the fight against it comes to fruition.

Still don't own Supernatural. Not suing would be appreciated. I have no money, I promise, so please just let me use the brilliant characters.

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

-/\-SN-/\-

Sam stood a few feet away from Damas, his eyes locked on the dark figure. "You won't take me so easily."

"I'm not the one you will be needing to fight." Damas didn't smile this time.

Sam dropped his bag and opened his hands at his sides. He felt the power run through him and down his arms. He didn't know what he was doing, or even if it would work, but he had to try.

"Samuel, don't."

He closed his eyes and focused all the anger and fear at Damas. There was a flash of light, or maybe it was pain, he wasn't sure. Damas staggered back a few steps, his face even more ashen than before. Sam opened his eyes, the ground seemed to shift under his feet and something metallic filled his mouth and nose. He swallowed and took a staggered breath.

Damas took half a step forward. "That was impressive, Samuel, even further along than I had anticipated."

Sam staggered back and fell to his knees. He tried to find the energy to try again, but breathing was harder than it should have been and his thoughts felt slow and thick. Damas gripped Sam's arm as he drew close. Sam felt the unbridled power rush through him and he nearly blacked out. He pressed his hands against the cool ground.

"We haven't much time to get away, Samuel." Damas pulled him to his feet. "You need to come with me, now."

Sam staggered as he was led through the trees.

"You did the right thing, leaving them. Though I will only have to kill them later." He glanced back. "When they fight for you."

Sam was pale and his hands shook as he struggled to keep up. The use of his power and lack of sleep had drained him of his energy. Damas's presence made his head buzz and throb in a way that wasn't entirely unpleasant, but difficult all the same. Soon they came across a narrow, gravel road. A sleek car was parked on the side, it's dark windows reflected the clear morning sky.

Damas opened the passenger side door and Sam sunk into the seat. He walked around and climbed in. He ran his hands over the steering wheel for a moment as though he hadn't been in the car in some time and was remembering the way it felt beneath him. Sam watched with detached interest, too weary for much else.

He looked over at Sam and handed him a canteen. "It's water, you need to drink. We all need you alive."

Sam hesitated before he brought it to his lips. The cool water ran down his throat. He replaced the cap with shaking hands and gripped the canteen to attempt to slow the tremors.

"Why now?" He breathed.

Damas pulled onto the road with a smile. "Because you have come into your power and you need someone to show you. If you were to do this alone, you would end up destroying more than yourself and your brother."

"I don't believe you."

"And yet you are here." Damas looked over with a smirk.

"Didn't think I had much of a choice." He muttered.

He increased the speed. "You were right in that assumption."

Sam leaned forward and pressed his hand against his head as pain shot through. He closed his eyes to the morning sun and unconsciously held his breath. The pain doubled, even though he didn't think that was possible, and he cradled his head in his hands.

"It's because you're untrained." He almost sounded sympathetic, concerned even. "The pain will fade in time."

"I don't need you." Sam muttered.

"You do if you want to live. Continue without my guidance and your power will consume and destroy you. This plan has been centuries in preparation, it is flawless."

Sam scoffed and regretted the unnecessary use of energy and focus. Damas placed his hand on the back of Sam's neck and he instantly went limp. He guided the now unconscious Sam back against the seat. He pressed his hand against the side of Sam's head and felt the level of pain. There wasn't anything he could do, other than bestow unconsciousness, so that would have to do. He pressed the accelerator down and turned onto the highway.

---

Dean figured he had looked through just about every book Bobby owned, and that was saying something, but it still didn't reveal any information that was useful.

He stood and ran a hand over his eyes. "I'm going to see if he needs anything."

Bobby glanced up from a book as Dean passed. He walked down the hall and paused by the half open door.

"Sam?" He kept his voice low as he pushed open the door.

Everything froze for one horrible second. Dean saw the empty bed, blankets still pushed back that hadn't been slept in. He saw the space under the bed where Sam's bag should have been and he saw the open window. Then he saw the note on his bed. With a trembling hand, he picked it up and read Sam's familiar handwriting.

_Dean. This is the only way. I know you'll argue otherwise, but it's the only way to keep you from dying. I'll come back, if I can, and I'll fight. Please, this isn't your fault, so don't ever think it was. I'm sorry, but I'd rather know you were alive somewhere than watch you die because of me. –Sammy_

Something tightened around Dean's chest and throat, his eyes burned. He turned to the window even though he knew it must have been hours that Sam was gone.

"Bobby." His voice cracked at the end and he swallowed. "Bobby." This time was stronger and more desperate.

Bobby came into the room, ready for almost anything, anything except the note Dean held and the empty room behind him.

"He left." Dean stated, his voice oddly even.

He sighed. "Shit. Well, let's go after him."

"I don't know which way he went." He looked lost and Bobby realized that's exactly what he was.

"Never stopped him or you before. Get your stuff together and meet me by the truck in ten." He left the room.

It was what Dean needed, a plan to pull something back together. He carefully folded the note and tucked it in his wallet before he shoved things into a bag. He tore from the house and jumped into the truck. Only the speed that Bobby left the driveway and the slight tremble in his fingers revealed his worry.

---

Consciousness came slowly and Sam woke on a rough camping blanket spread over the cool cement floor of an abandoned factory. He was tucked back in a corner and the only light came from a lantern that sat nearby. Pain consumed every inch of him and he was cold. He tried to push himself to sitting.

"I wouldn't try that just yet." Damas stepped from the shadows and knelt next to Sam.

Sam slumped back onto the blanket. Damas placed a mug of something near Sam and sat back on his heels. Sam took a slow breath and pushed himself to sitting anyway. The darkness spun around him and he slumped back against the wall behind him.

"Drink that. It will help you gain your strength back."

"I'd rather die." He managed a weak smile of defiance.

Damas sighed. "Get your strength back and maybe you'll be able to defeat me. That is what you want, isn't it? I can read it in your thoughts."

Sam weighed the options he was given and slowly reached for the mug. It was warm between his icy hands and he tried to imagine the warmth moving to his core to combat the chills that wracked his weary body. He took a slow drink and tasted something earthy and minty.

"What is it?" He whispered.

"Tea, herbs that most don't know about."

It warmed him some, if it did nothing else. "You're being nice, I wouldn't expect that." His voice was rough.

Damas stood. "We need you alive and it is within my own interest to make sure you are. There is more than your life tied up in this plan." He turned away. "Rest."

Sam suddenly felt weary, hardly able to stay awake. "Where am I?"

"Someplace where you will not be found, someplace where I will teach you. Sleep now, Samuel, you have attempted more than you should and it has left you weak."

Sam slid to the floor and pulled a blanket around his shoulders. Pain shot through him like lightning and pulsed in his head. He closed his eyes to the sickening throb and the spinning of the room. He heard Damas's retreating footsteps and let his eyes slip closed. He tried to listen for Dean's thoughts, but it only sharpened the pain in his head and increased his nausea. He swallowed back the rising bile and pulled the blanket tighter. His last thoughts were of fighting to get back to Dean, he would play the game until he could do that.


	2. Or Fight

This is part TWO in the 'To Everything' series.

It's my idea of what happens to Sam as he turns demonic and becomes what everyone has been waiting for. Sure to be full of limp/angsty/hurt/evil Sam and worried/hurt/protective/awesome Dean. Bobby's there to as reinforcements as the battle of evil and the fight against it comes to fruition.

Still don't own Supernatural. Not suing would be appreciated. I have no money, I promise, so please just let me use the brilliant characters.

P.S. I haven't been watching the show (gasp and shock) so if I get anything wrong, that's why. I'm going on wikipedia, other fanfic I read and episode guides online.

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

-/\-SN-/\-

When he woke, the pain was gone and his thoughts were clear. The room was lighter, and rays of sun came through where the paint over the windows had flaked away. He carefully got to his feet and touched the wall as momentary dizziness played with his equilibrium. He held his breath to listen for footsteps and heard nothing. He reached for his cell phone and flipped it open. Seven voice mails and he didn't have to guess who they were from.

With his breath tight in his lungs he held the phone to his ear.

"_Sammy, well, I guess you know who this is._" Sam couldn't help but smile a little. "_Just, just tell me where you are. I know you said I shouldn't go after you, but you're dumber than a rock to believe that I wouldn't._" And even though Sam was afraid that Dean would get hurt, he was also happy that he was being looked for. "_Me and Bobby are going to cover every road until I find your ass, then then kick it for leaving. Just wait until I see you. But really, take care of yourself, please. Sammy._" Dean's voice grew soft at the end.

He pressed the button to save and move onto the second message.

"_Sam, just tell me you're okay, tell-_" Sam was suddenly thrown back against the wall.

The phone flew from his hand and lay open a few feet away. Sam's feet were inches from the floor and a constricting pressure around his chest held him to the wall. He was frozen, unable to even move a finger.

Damas stepped from the shadows with a twisted smile on his face. "Feeling sentimental, Samuel? Well that will get you nowhere in this world, or any other for that matter."

Sam tried to draw in a deeper breath, but he was forced to shallow, staggered gasps.

Damas walked forward until he was inches away from Sam. "Fight back."

"Or what? You'll kill me? Fine." His eyes burned.

"I won't kill you, Samuel, I'm not allowed. They want you alive, alive and trained. Do you really think that after all the work that has gone into you, that they would just let you go?" He met Sam's eyes. "And I thought you were smart." Sam's eyes moved back to the phone and Damas knew his thoughts. "Fight back and you can get it. Who am I to stop you?"

"I won't play your games." Sam took a short breath.

Damas smiled. "Fine."

The pressure moved to around Sam's throat. He couldn't breathe, not even a little bit. Darkness started to rim his vision and instinct took over. Sam felt the familiar rush as power flooded and filled him. He met Damas's eyes and forced himself into the demon's thoughts.

Damas smiled. _Very good, Samuel, but you will have to do better. _

_Oh, I will._ Sam focused harder, felt the power burn through him like a fever. Euphoria flooded his brain and he had the impression that he could do anything, absolutely anything. He had no limits.

Damas's smile fell as he had to fight to stay in control. He hadn't expected Sam to be so strong so quickly, he hadn't expected that damned Winchester stubborn streak to fuel the ability like a dry forest in fire season.

Sam lost track of how long it had been since he drew his last breath and had no problem ignoring his body's desire for another. It didn't matter, none of it did, the rush of power was the only thing that mattered. Suddenly the euphoria faded enough for Sam to realize that he was only seconds away from losing consciousness. Survival added to the fire like gasoline and a strong wind.

Damas flew back as though an electric shock had passed through him. He lay crumpled a few feet away on the floor.

Sam collapsed to the floor, no strength to even catch himself as he slammed into the cold concrete. His vision blurred and blacked out a few times as he took deep, ragged breaths. Oxygen flooded his brain, but it couldn't fill the empty void that the power had left. His fingers scraped against the concrete as he tried to take handfuls of it to reassure himself that the world was not shifting and spinning as it seemed. Finally he could no longer fight and unconsciousness washed over him and pulled him under.

Damas pushed himself to his feet and popped his shoulder back into place without so much as a second thought. A wicked smile spread across his face as he walked over to Sam's still form. He knelt down and checked Sam's pulse, felt it beat double under his fingers, and stood again.

"Very good, Samuel." He pressed his hand against Sam's head. "Resurrectio."

Sam's eyes blinked open. Everything was blurry and shaded in gray. He could taste something metallic and wondered if it was blood, he didn't know how he ended up on the floor.

"You must control the power, not let it control you." Damas's voice was hard. "You must hold it."

He struggled to make sense of the words. Pain was starting to ache along his chest and pound in his head. He felt sick and dizzy.

"You must be the one to ascend, release and descend."

"How?" He whispered.

"First you must learn to hold it." Damas pushed Sam up so that he was sitting against the wall. He placed his hands over Sam's wrists. "Push me away."

Sam struggled to bring him into focus. "Can't."

"You're not trying." He increased the strength of his grip and Sam winced.

He swallowed and tried to remember what the power felt like. Somehow he found a small spark.

"Good. Let it build."

Sam shook his head slightly, he was too exhausted.

"Samuel." Damas's voice was sharp. "Focus, now."

He swallowed back something bitter and tried to focus. He closed his eyes and held his breath. Slowly, he felt the power come, but it was a shadow to what he had done minutes before. The grip on his wrists lessened, one hand slipped away.

Before he could get the other hand away, Damas interrupted. "Now, hold that, Samuel. Do not go out in a burst of energy, you must learn to hold or it will destroy you."

"So let it." He gasped.

"You will not die when destroyed, you will be a slave to the next thing of power that happens by. You will be a shell, conscious of it all and unable to stop. Now hold."

Sam focused everything on holding the power where it was. He could still feel Damas's icy hand on his wrist and feel the electricity of strength there.

"Good. Now, let it fade, guide it down."

It took more stamina than the thought he possessed, but slowly, he brought the power back so that he could hardly feel it. Even keeping that small flame going, was draining and blackness was once again pressing in on the sides of his vision.

Damas's hand slipped from his wrist and he slumped against the wall. "Better. The falling is as important as the building. It takes more to start a fire from a spark than it does from a candle."

Sam let his eyes slip closed. A warm mug was placed in his shaking hands and he needed no command to bring it to his lips. He felt a hand at the back of his neck and instinctually tried to fight. Like a switch, Sam suddenly felt sleep grip and pull him. The empty mug fell from his hand and cracked against the concrete.

Damas pulled Sam over to the blankets and stood back as though to admire his student. With a sly smile he turned and left.

He didn't know if he had been asleep hours or days, but Sam knew that as soon as he was awake, pain flooded him like power had before. He curled on his side out of reflex and a sob caught in his throat. His muscles twitched and cramped and his head pounded. He felt something wet on his face from his nose, and brought a trembling hand up. In the low light he was able to make out something dark on his fingertips. It took him a moment to realize that it was blood.

Sam's vision cleared and he saw his phone lying inches from him. With more effort than it should have taken, he reached out and wrapped his fingers around it. The light shot pain through his head as he flipped it open, but he dialed the number so familiar that he didn't need to see to type it in. He listened to it ring.

"Sammy." Dean's relieved voice was like water in the desert to Sam.

"Dean." He sighed.

"Where the hell are you?"

Sam tried to remember anything that would help, but had very little. "I think an abandoned warehouse or factory, I don't even know how long I was in the car." His voice was rough from more than fatigue.

"Are you okay? You don't sound okay." The tension in his voice was impossible to miss.

"M'okay. Just tired." He breathed. "Dean, I'm sorry. Really."

"I'm going to find you. Just hold on."

"Okay." The pain ratcheted up and he curled tighter.

Dean sighed. "God, Sammy. I just -" Whatever he was going to say was cut off as Sam closed the phone.

He sensed, rather than felt Damas return. With far too much effort, he slipped the phone in his pocket and pretended to be asleep. He had the feeling that Damas expected him to be asleep still. Something that sounded like a crate was set down on the floor and footsteps came towards Sam.

Damas placed his hand on Sam's head and he felt a rush of power. Some of the pain went away and he felt a little less shaky. Sam opened his eyes and slowly pushed himself so that he was sitting against the wall.

"Welcome back, Samuel." Damas smiled. "I brought you something to eat." He turned to a bowl of something sitting on the crate twenty yards away. "You'll have to go over there if you want it. The sooner you train yourself to recover, the stronger you will be." He stood and walked away.

Sam watched him disappear into one of the darker corners of the room. Not sure which was more of an act of defiance, Sam eventually pushed himself to his feet. He had to lean against the wall until he was sure that he wouldn't black out again, but eventually walked over to the crate. The distance had never felt so long. He eased down onto the crate and picked up the bowl of stew.


	3. Time

This is part TWO in the 'To Everything' series.

It's my idea of what happens to Sam as he turns demonic and becomes what everyone has been waiting for. Sure to be full of limp/angsty/hurt/evil Sam and worried/hurt/protective/awesome Dean. Bobby's there to as reinforcements as the battle of evil and the fight against it comes to fruition.

Still don't own Supernatural. Not suing would be appreciated. I have no money, I promise, so please just let me use the brilliant characters.

P.S. I haven't been watching the show (gasp and shock) so if I get anything wrong, that's why. I'm going on wikipedia, other fanfic I read and episode guides online.

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

-/\-SN-/\-

Each day blurred into the next. Sam would sleep or Damas would make him sleep, he would wake alone and if he was lucky there would be a few minutes of nothing before Damas would test him again. His body was bruised and he could no longer tell the difference between fatigue and pain.

When Damas was out and he thought Sam was asleep, Sam would listen to the voice messages from Dean. They kept some part, however small, alive and fighting against Damas when everything else wanted to join him.

It all truth, the power was a dangerous drug and Sam didn't realize that. He had started to wait anxiously for Damas to test him so that he could feel the rise of power in him. He now knew how to control it, to hold it and twist it to conform to his will and desire. Nothing was impossible for him, nothing too hard, merely something he had to work for. His head constantly buzzed with the power, he didn't even notice that any longer.

Sam lay on the blanket and looked up into the darkness, a twisted smile drifted onto his face as he remembered what he had done. Damas couldn't even hold him for more than ten minutes now, he was unstoppable, just like it was always planned. He rolled over and felt something hard press against his hip. It took him a moment to remember it was his phone, he hadn't opened it in days. Suddenly he remembered Dean and the smile was gone.

He opened the phone and pressed the numbers for voice mail. _Sam. Are you okay, are you still alive? I haven't heard from you in nearly a month._ Had it really been a month? _We're still looking everywhere, Bobby and me, still looking for you. Call me if you can, or give me something, a clue, anything. I'm not going to stop looking and that bastard that took you will pay._ Sam felt a sudden rush of anger and couldn't quite place why. _God, Sammy, where the hell are you? Call me, when you can, please._

Sam sat up on an elbow. He looked at the glowing numbers in his hand and dialed. He stopped half way through and held his breath. He pressed one more number, paused again and then closed the phone. He tucked the phone back into his pocket and lay back down. With one arm folded under his head, he looked up into the darkness once again.

---

Dean sighed as he leaned against the cool brick of the motel room. Bobby stepped out and looked over at him. Neither said a word. They had come across another dead-end another lead that turned out to be nothing but smoke and mirrors.

"We have to call, Bobby." Dean said, his eyes fixed on the stars above. "We don't have any other options."

"What side is she on, Dean? Can you be certain of that? Who says she won't just tip off whoever has him?"

Dean slammed his fist against the wall. "We have no other fucking options, Bobby." His voice was level. "We can't keep blinding looking, hoping that we stumble over something."

"We'll get him back."

He looked over. "Not alone." Dean pulled out his phone and dialed. He held his breath and counted rings.

"This had better be good, Winchester." The voice was edged with annoyance, but not unfriendly.

"Sam's gone, Ruby. What do you know?"

Bobby clenched his jaw and folded his arms across his chest.

"Hold on, what do you mean gone?" The edge was gone.

Dean sighed. "Haven't seen him in two months, haven't talked to him going on four weeks."

"Well quit hinting and tell me what's going on."

Dean heard something that sounded a lot like keys in the background. "Suddenly he had all these powers, said he dreamed Damas was his guide, then he just left. Snuck out a window."

"What was that name?" She stopped, she wasn't asking because she didn't know.

"Damas."

"I'll be there in four hours. Do not go anywhere, do not talk to anyone else, do not do anything. Understand me, Winchester?"

"We're at-"

She cut him off. "I know where you're at. It's amazing you haven't gotten yourself killed yet. Don't do anything until I get there." Then the call was ended.

Dean slipped the phone back into his pocket. He glanced over at Bobby.

"Well?" Bobby turned.

"We wait for her." Dean went back inside without another word.

Bobby followed soon after.

---

"You're nearly ready, Samuel." Damas said as he staggered back.

That blow, on anything but demon, would have killed instantly. Sam stood tensed and ready for another hit. He was leaner and faster in sparring, running, fighting, everything. Damas froze Sam with his mind then moved in for a fatal blow, Sam ducked away at the last minute and brought his arm down across Damas's neck. There was a sharp crack and Damas fell to the ground. He was only down for a second before he stood.

"I still have this over you." He met Sam's eyes.

Sam found himself completely frozen, his thoughts slowed and didn't seem to connect to the rest of his body any longer. He watched Damas grow closer and felt the hand on the back of his neck. Sam dropped, unconscious, to the ground. Damas stepped over him.

"I have work to do, but I trust you'll still be here when I return." Damas sneered and left.

Sam woke an hour later. He had been waking before Damas intended for months now. He was fighting everything, it was all he knew, any resistance against him he pushed back. He got up from the cool floor and paused to make sure he was alone. This was the quickest he had ever woken after Damas's control, and liked the freedom.

He walked to the steel door at the far end of the room and pushed. He realized it was spelled when it took him far more energy than he figured it would to open. He stepped out into the oncoming night. It was the first he had been out, the warehouse had been his entire world for the last three months.

He could do anything, go anywhere. He didn't need Damas any longer, he didn't need anyone.

Sam had only managed to run a few feet before he was brought down. The air was knocked from his lungs and two very muscular and very demonic men pinned him to the cracked asphalt parking lot.

Damas walked up to him. "Now you are ready."

"You can't keep me forever." Sam spat.

"No, and I never intended to. Now we are equals, partners. Together, we have the world." He snapped his fingers and some of the restraint lessened.

Damas held out his hand to Sam. Sam looked up into his eyes, smiled and took the hand. He was pulled to his feet and felt the energy crackle and rush through him. Without looking back, Damas walked towards the sleek car and Sam followed.

"So, what do we do now?" Sam glanced over as Damas sped down the road.

Damas looked away from the road for much longer than was safe, but he didn't need to look anyway. "One final test, to see who you really are now."

Something flickered in Sam's eyes for a moment, a memory almost, but it was gone before it was ever really there. "Perfect." He smiled.

Damas turned back to the road and pressed the accelerator down. They drove through the night and Sam was drive towards his final test. The one thing that would display all of Damas's work and effort, the one thing that would confirm that Sam would be unrecognizable to all that he was, even himself.


	4. Tested

This is part TWO in the 'To Everything' series.

It's my idea of what happens to Sam as he turns demonic and becomes what everyone has been waiting for. Sure to be full of limp/angsty/hurt/evil Sam and worried/hurt/protective/awesome Dean. Bobby's there to as reinforcements as the battle of evil and the fight against it comes to fruition.

**NOTE****:** I haven't been watching the show (gasp and shock) so if I get anything wrong, that's why. I'm getting info from wikipedia, other fanfic I read and episode guides online. Also, I'm going to ignore some things because I don't know enough about the events to get it right. So I'll allude to Dean's death...but nothing definitive and I'm going to ignore angels. I also might accidentally add someone that has been killed, because I didn't know they were dead. As for season, obviously later, like after the current one or something. Yeah, I guess it's kinda alternate verse or whatnot.

Still don't own Supernatural. Not suing would be appreciated. I have no money, I promise, so please just let me use the brilliant characters.

Sorry this chapter took so long.

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

-/\-SN-/\-

The car pulled up in front of a small farmhouse. Lights glowed from inside and it was the exact image that someone thought of when they thought of 'home'. Sam looked over at Damas.

"Inside that house." Damas's voice was quiet and sinister. "Lives an eight year old girl and her twin brother. Kill them."

"Why?"

He turned to Sam. "Maybe you're not as perfect as we all hoped."

"It's not that." He smiled. "If you want them dead, you must have a reason."

"They will bring your downfall."

Sam turned back to him. "Two kids?"

Damas's eyes were hard and cold. "They were insurance, you resisted your destiny for son long, we needed a contingency plan." He shrugged. "Now we don't. Is that reason enough?"

"Plenty." Sam stepped from the car.

"Samuel. You cannot be seen by anyone else, and the rest of the family must be left alive."

He smiled. "Fine." He walked towards the house.

The front door opened and two kids were silhouetted in the doorway.

"Oh, and they know you're here." His dangerous voice blended with the night.

Sam smiled and moved towards the shadows.

The two kids stepped out onto the front porch. Lil and Jake knew something was out there, they knew like they knew what the other was thinking.

"Lil, door." Jake whispered.

She glanced back and the front door closed without her touching it. Their eyes adjusted to the dark and they saw Sam by the oak tree in the yard.

"Hi." Sam smiled.

They looked at him and Lil took Jake's hand. Sam walked towards them, it wouldn't have been creepy at all, except that it was eleven at night and the malice was thick in the air. Sam stopped a few yards from the porch.

"We're not afraid of you." Jake said, he tilted his head to the side. "I can hear what's in your head, but you won't do it."

"Why not?" Sam smiled.

Lil looked into his eyes. "It's not you. You're believing him and he is wrong."

For a half of a second, something flashed through Sam's mind, but it was gone before he could focus it. It was something half remembered, but too distant to change anything. Sam crossed his arms over his chest and smiled.

"I think you should leave." Jake said calmly.

"But I have a job to do." Sam smiled cold and evil.

Fear flashed in their young eyes.

"Please." Lil whispered.

"Let's go for a walk."

It was more than a suggestion, Lil and Jake had to obey. They stepped off the porch and followed behind Sam as he walked towards the dark trees at the edge of the yard. Sam turned just about when Jake had managed to break through the mind control. He grabbed the boy's arm and smiled.

Damas watched from the car. He smiled at how well his protégé was doing, at how well the plan was coming along. There was a slight doubt in his mind that Sam wouldn't go through with it, that there was still to much humanity left in him. That's why this was a test, to solidify all that they had worked for. He leaned against the car and pulled a long, sharp blade from a sheath. He ran the edge over his fingertips and pressed just light enough to keep from drawing blood.

Sam looked at the two children and they sat down as though they were pushed. Their backs were pressed against a thick tree and they looked up at him. They were quiet and reserved, like they knew they would die and there was nothing to change that fact.

"Will you hurt our parents and brothers and sisters?" Lil asked after a few silent minutes.

"No."

Jake nodded. "Good."

Sam knelt down in front of them.

"Can you kill us both" Lil started.

"At the same time?" Jake finished.

He smiled. "As you wish."

Sam placed a hand on each of their heads. As soon as he touched them, images flooded his mind.

_A pregnant women was in a doctor's office. She looked over at the ultrasound monitor and smiled at the two heartbeats and the two perfect babies that were due in a month._

"_Any names picked out?" The ultrasound tech smiled._

"_Lil and Jake." She smiled._

_---_

_The two infants lay next to each other in the crib. The mobile turned slowly overhead in the slight warm breeze. _

_Lil's eyes opened and focused on something in the dark. She smiled and cooed. Jake's eyes opened a second later and focused on the same thing. A dark figure came to the side of the crib and looked down at the two infants. _

_It reached down and touched Lil on her forehead with one finger. It left a faintly glowing fingerprint as it moved and did the same to Jake. The figure gently cupped the babies faces in it's hands like a parent who had to leave for a very long time and then it faded into the darkness._

_---_

_Lil and Jake sat on the front porch, they must have been three or four. On the road, at the edge of the yard, a car came down the gravel. It skidded as the brakes were slammed and then stopped. After a few moments the car drove away._

_Jake and Lil slid off the porch and walked up to the road. On the side, nearly hidden by the grass, was the still figure of a stray cat. It was clearly dead, its gray fur was matted with blood._

_She knelt down and gently ran her finger between its ears. Jake knelt next to her and did the same. At the same time, they rested their fingers on its head and closed their eyes. The cat woke as though it had been sleeping and then darted away. _

Sam's hands slid from their heads. It seemed like so much time had passed, but it was only seconds. Lil and Jake hadn't seen what Sam had and they didn't understand why they were still alive.

In those few seconds, all of Damas's training came undone. Lil and Jake had been chosen, just like Sam had. But they had been chosen by light, chosen to be something better, chosen by an angel. They were going to be everything that Sam had been fighting against his entire life.

And he couldn't kill them.

Pain ripped through his head and he pressed his forehead against his knee.

"Sir?" Jake's small voice was a whisper in the darkness.

Sam took a slow breath. "I need you to do something for me." He could feel the darkness taking over again and had to work fast. He looked up at them, at their innocence and inherent good. "Killing you won't be permanent. When I leave, you will wake up, like nothing had happened."

They nodded, even though they didn't understand.

"It's the only way." He placed his hands on their heads again.

Lil and Jake closed their eyes and went limp. Their breathing slowed and then stopped, their heartbeats soon followed. Sam stood, he felt Damas walked up behind him. The darkness inside was coming back faster and stronger, it made his head swim.

"Very good, Samuel." Damas's cold voice came from over Sam's shoulder. He knelt down and touched the children's still bodies. "Time to go."

Damas turned and Sam followed. By the time they were back at the car, Sam had forgotten about what he had seen, about the light, about how he always fought against the darkness. Damas looked over and smiled like a favored son.

"You passed with flying colors. Now, for the real fun." Damas pulled the car back onto the road and pulled away.

Under the protective branches of a thick tree, Lil and Jake lay side by side. They were as still as the summer night around them.

Like a bolt of electricity passed through them, they both opened their eyes and sat up. They were dazed, the sleepy confusion that someone has after being woken suddenly from a deep sleep. After a few minutes they got to their feet and walked back towards the house.

They paused by the front door.

"Jake." She whispered. "He's like us, isn't he?"

He nodded. "But alone and fighting." He took her hand and they slipped inside.

---

Damas drove through the rest of the night. Sam felt his power rush through his veins like it never had before. As far as Sam and Damas knew, those children were dead. Sam didn't remember saving them. Some small part of him did, the part that woke, but the power was intoxicating and consuming and unrestrained. Sam wanted to see what he could do, what limits, if any, he had.

He turned to the window and watched the sky lighten with dawn. The world was his and he would take it for all he could. Nobody could stop him, nothing could save him and he reveled in the freedom of it all.

It was the moment hell and it's horrible army had been waiting for, their chosen son was ready to step into his place and lead the army.

"Just one small problem to be taken care of." Damas looked over.

Sam smiled. "Oh, I know. And he has no idea."


End file.
